


One Way Mirror

by carvbox, kemort



Category: Broadchurch, Masters of Sex
Genre: (This fanfiction is a), First Kiss, First Time, For Science!, Hospitalization, Illnesses, M/M, Masturbation, Resolved Sexual Tension, Sexual Tension, suicide note
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-19 00:23:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20321998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carvbox/pseuds/carvbox, https://archiveofourown.org/users/kemort/pseuds/kemort
Summary: When Hardy gets his pacemaker opperation, he meets a Dr. Bill Masters who offers him an interesting proposal involving the study of human sexuality.





	One Way Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> Virginia Johnson doesn't exist she died or something you do you. 
> 
> Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).

Alec woke up groggily. He could feel something in his chest. His heart, it was _beating_. He was alive, the constant excruciating pain in his chest only a distant memory. The pacemaker was in.

There was a woman peering down at him, a blonde nurse. She reminded him of Becca Fisher. The more he forced his eyes to open, the wider her’s became, filled with a sense of urgency. “He’s up!” She shouted after he parted his lips, disappearing from view.

“Check his vitals.” A deep voice said. American.

He was out again.

When Alec woke up for the second time, he was greeted by an unfamiliar face, one he had never seen around Broadchurch. Not once. His hair was slicked back and graying softly. He wore a bowtie that Alec would have scoffed at if it was worth his energy. 

“Mr. Hardy, I’m Doctor Bill Masters.” His voice was monotone, rather disinterested. There was no huge grin plastered on his face that shouted _you’re alive!_ The detachment was comforting and he could feel a sort of connection. Neither of them were Broadchurch men, neither of them belonged in the community.

“I got a case.” Alec said. He wasn’t able to say much, only try to convey what was on his mind. 

Bill scoffed. “Yeah, well, I don’t think you’re going to jump back on that any time soon, DI Hardy.”

That was the first time Alec saw Bill, and it certainly wasn’t the last.

The second time they saw each other was a simple doctor-patient check-in. The third was between a cup of coffee, an invitation from Bill that made Alec horribly weary.

“So,” Bill said, adjusting in his seat, “I asked you here for a reason, obviously.”

Alec took a long sip of his coffee. “Aye.”

“I have this, erm, study, shall we say. That’s why I came to Broadchurch, you see, the hospital approved of it, and it’s been hard to find one that will. It’s still rather… hushed, though.”

“A study? On what?”

“Human sexuality. That’s why I asked you here.”

_You asked me here for a study on human bloody sexuality_ was what Alec wanted to say. Instead, he choked on his coffee.  
Bill straightened himself out. He let his hand wander up to his bowtie, gripping it nervously before sitting up straight. “Well, with your pacemaker and all, it would be fantastic data if you wanted to perhaps participate.”

“I -- Participate? In a study? On _human sexuality?_” He had no idea what that entailed. 

“Well, you see, standard procedure is that we take the data on couples… performing, and then we compare them.”

“Oh, I don’t think --”

“No, no, I understand you’re like me, not much of a people person. That’s why the study would consist only of me and you.”

Oh. _Oh._ Alec Hardy was a man who had seen a lot. Definitely his fair share of dead children, for one, but has never been taken this aback. He wasn’t a man who often became speechless. He stared down into his mug, swirling the coffee slightly, heat rising to his cheeks. This was a lot. A very, very unusual request from a very, _very_ handsome man.

“I’ll let you ponder that thought.” Bill said finally. “Again, it’s strictly scientific. I just thought you could handle the detachment and all. Let me know.”

Alec couldn’t look up. When he did, Bill was gone. 

He spent the next few days trying not to think about the offer at all, but of course, it inevitably crossed his mind. In the shower. A lot. Today he was doing a rather good job of keeping himself distracted by going through some case files until he received a phone call. His thumb hovered over the answer button before putting the phone to his ear.

“DI Hardy.” Bill’s voice was on the other side.

“Doctor Masters.”

“Just calling to check in. How are you doing?”

“Managing.”

“Good, good. Have you given my… offer… any thought?”

Alec wasn’t going to tell him the truth. “A bit, yeah.”

“And?”

“I’ll do it.” He found his mouth answering before his brain could catch up.

“Great.” Bill said. Alec could hear his smile over the phone. “Could you come down to the hospital tonight?”

“Aye.”

“I’ll see you in a few hours, then. I haven’t got any more volunteers coming in, so just drop down when you’re ready. It’s just us tonight.”

Alec hung up his phone. It was just science after all. He hadn’t been thinking about running his hands through Bill’s hair, biting on the hollow of his collarbone between his neck and shoulder, the lingering scent of his cologne captivating his senses. Not at all. 

A few hours later, just as Bill had said, Alec was making his way through one of the hospital’s many corridors, searching for the obstetrics unit. He wore what he always wore: a crinkled white dress shirt and a loose tie. 

Bill was in his office, circular spectacles rested on the bridge of his nose as he stared down thoughtfully at some paperwork. “DI Hardy.” He said simply, not bothering to look up, shocking Alec with his awareness of his presence. 

“Doctor Masters.”

That was when Bill looked up, his face hardly illuminated by his desk lamp. Alec found himself unable to look away, oddly mesmerized by his gaze. He watched as Bill swiped his tongue across his bottom lip then swallow audibly. His collar felt tight. 

Bill cleared his throat, jolting Alec out of his trance. 

“Shall we get started then?” His voice was measured. 

Alec nodded and followed Bill dutifully into an exam room, consisting of a bed, a chair, and a one way mirror. Alec’s (hopefully healthy) heart felt as if it was pounding out of his chest and he really had to get a grip.

“Right,” Bill began, “what you’ll start with is simply disrobing. I’m going to be in the other room observing you through these four stages I’m working on.”

“Oh.” He definitely got the wrong idea. He wasn’t aware this would be a solo process.

“Is something wrong?” Bill asked, narrowing his gaze.

“Eh, no, no! Just a wee nervous is all. That’s what it must be. Nerves.”

“Of course, our participants get like this all the time. I’m not really good at this sort of stuff myself, just… relax, okay? You’ll be fine. This is vitally important to the study. If I can monitor your heart rate, with the pacemaker and all, it could be groundbreaking. Also remember confidentiality. This is between you and me.”

_You and me._ The words ricocheted through his mind.

Alec undid his tie, worked at his buttons, and stared irritably at the fully clothed doctor who stood before him. He could see Bill shift, swallow, and avert his gaze. 

“Okay, now I’m just going to attach a few wires to you.” Alec shivered at the coolness of Bill’s hand as they traced along his bare skin, attaching tape to his chest. It felt like Bill was closer than he needed to be and that he touched him a little more than he should.

“This is where I go on the other side of the glass.”

Alec then proceeded to do as he was directed, knowing Bill Masters was watching him the entire time. 

“Thank you, Hardy.” Bill had said as he walked him out of his office.

“M’don’t wanna talk about it after it’s done. Just wanna do it then say nothing.” He said, the collar of his coat turned up and hands deep into his pockets.

Bill just nodded. He seemed to be perspiring. “There isn’t much contact with our volunteers outside of the study. That’s sort of our ideology.” 

“Good.”

“You will have to get slightly personal, though. We have a questionnaire you need to fill out, sexual history and all that for next time.”

_Ugh._ “Aye.”

“Alright then,” Bill said with a nod. “You have a good rest of your night.”

Alec glanced up at Bill for a second, making brief eye contact with him, then left the room without another word.

Alec continued the study. He reappeared time and time again (very likely more than necessary) and Bill would simply sit there, hidden behind the glass, until Alec got over it. It was no longer about Bill Masters (was it ever?) just the study and… science, of course. Then on a particular day when he came into the office to prepare for the study, it was all very different. Alec was working at his tie when Bill grabbed his wrist. “No, I’m going to do that.”

“B- Doctor Masters, we have a routine.”

“I’m going to do it.”

Alec let his hands drop idly to his side as he allowed Bill to undo his tie. He wouldn’t ever admit to the brief rush of tension he felt in his lower abdomen when Bill’s fingers cooly brushed against his throat. He began fixating on the buttons of his dress shirt, exposing his chest at an excruciatingly slow pace.

“Now you do me.” Bill said. It was an order. 

“How many times have I come in here now?” Alec asked as he lifted his hands to Bill’s bowtie. “Why are you suddenly changing it up?” 

When Bill spoke, it was loud, it was stern, and it was _certain_. “Because I can’t do this anymore, Alec. I can’t -- I can’t sit there and just _watch_ you. After all this time… it’s killing me.”

And Alec nods, because that’s all he needed to hear, and he closes the gap between the two of them, their mouths crashing together desperately in a hungry kiss. There’s no chasteness, no gentle brushing of lips. Its passionate, its hungry, and it's full of a need and a want neither of them would want to admit to. Bill is leading Alec to the bed, quickly ditching the rest of their clothing.

This is where the real study begins.

**Author's Note:**

> Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).


End file.
